Constant downstream level gate

ABSTRACT

The control gate disclosed herein is provided with two ballast holding containers, one of which is a sector float centered on the axis of rotation of the gate and constructed to maintain a constant water level on the downstream side of the gate, the other container being located above the axis of rotation of the gate in one position of the gate.

United States Paten Alexandre [s41 CONSTANT DOWNSTREAM LEVEL GATE [ 72]Inventor: Philippe Alexandre, 17 Ter, route de Corenc, La Tronche,lsere, France 22 Filed: Dec.2l, 1970 21 App1.No.: 100,046

[52] US. Cl ..61/25 [51] Int. Cl. ..E02b 7/42 [58] Field of Search..61/25, 23, 22

[56] References Cited UNlTED STATES PATENTS 3,066,490 12/1962 Du Bouchet..61/25 [451 Aug. 15,1972

Danel ..61/25 Ponsar ..6l/25 Primary Examiner-Jacob ShapiroAttorney-Sylvester J. Liddy, John .1. Hart, Joe E. Daniels and CharlesF. Baxley ABSTRACT The control gate disclosed herein is provided withtwo ballast holding containers, one of which is a sector float centeredon the axis of rotation of the gate and constructed to maintain aconstant water level on the downstream side of the gate, the othercontainer being located above the axis of rotation of the gate in oneposition of the gate.

4 Clains, 4 Drawing Figures Patented Aug. 15, 1972 3,683,630

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. I

INVENTOR. F G. 2 Pl-l/L /PPE ALEXANDEE My? W A T TaR/VE Y Patented Aug15, 1972 3,683,630

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 3

FIG. 4

' INVENTOR. PH/L' lPPE ALEXANDRE I BY % A TrO/QNEY 1 CONSTANT DOWNSTREAMLEVEL GATE THE INVENTION This invention relates to gates forautomatically controlling the flow of water in canals, streams, etc.,and more particularly to control gates designed to maintain a constantwater level downstream therefrom.

The primary purpose of the invention is to provide an improved gate ofthe indicated type which is more compact than known gates of this typeand cheaper to produce than the latter.

In accordance with the invention, the gate is made of unit constructionand such unit comprises an upstream, arcuately-shaped, gate aproncentered on the axis of rotation of the gate, a downstreamsector-shaped, gate float centered on the same axis, and a frameconnecting the gate apron and the float. The gate float is also utilizedas a ballast container. The unit further includes a second ballastcontainer which is located on the frame vertically above the pivotalaxis of such unit in one position of the gate.

For a better understanding of the invention, as well 'as the featuresand advantages thereof, reference is made to the following detaileddescription of two embodiments thereof by way of example, and to theaccompanying drawings, in which FIG. 1 is a schematic elevation showinga gate embodying the invention in closed position;

FIG. 2 is a similar view showing the gate in fully opened position;

FIG. 3 is a schematic elevation showing a modified gate embodying theinvention in fully opened position; and

FIG. 4 is a similar view of the gate of FIG. 3, but showing the gate infully closed position.

In the following description of the gates illustrated in FIGS. 14,similar reference characters will be applied to similar parts in suchdrawings.

The gate unit comprises a framework arm 3 which extends upstream fromthe gate pivotal axis 2 and on the outer upstream end of which ismounted a sectorshaped apron l radially disposed to the pivotal axis 2.The unit further comprises a hollow sector float 4 which is centered onthe pivotal axis 2 so as to be in opposing torque to the apron 1. Inorder to dampen the oscillation of the gate during itsoperation and toprotect the sector float 4 against the effects of the tailrace, thefloat 4 is located within a fixed container 5 which is carefully matchedto the float. The container 5 has a transverse opening 5' in its base tomaintain contact with the tailrace.

It will be understood that the whole gate unit constituted of the apron1, frame 3 and sector float 4, oscillates around the main pivot orpivotal axis 2 which is located at the elevation at which it is desiredthat the water level downstream of the gate is to be maintained.

The gate may be balanced so that when the downstream water level N is atthe elevation of the gate pivotal axis 2 and the gate is completelyclosed, as in FIG. 1, the torque generated by the hydraulic thrust onthe float 4 will balance the torque generated by the weight of the gate.So long as these conditions are maintained the gate will remain closed.When, however, the downstream water level falls, say to the position N'indicated in dotted lines in FIG. 2 of the drawings, the gate willautomatically, immediately open to its fully opened position to permit alarger discharge therethrough until the downstream water level isrestored to the level N which is the elevation of the main pivot 2,whereupon the gate apron 1 will move to fully closed position. With thismethod of operation the gate should be balanced for each of itspositions, i.e., its open position and its closed position. Inaccordance with the invention, this two stage adjustment of the gate isaccomplished by ballasting two containers, both of which are fixedlysecured in suitable positions on the gate unit, and one of which is solocated on the unit that in one of the adjustment positends to open andwill be just on balance in its immediate closed condition. The opening 7in the float 4 is closed and the gate is then balanced in its fully openposition for a level lower than N, the level N indicated in FIG. 2 ofthe drawings. This second adjustment operation involves loading ballast9 through the opening 10 of an upper container 6 which is mounted on theframe 3 so that it is located vertically above the pivotal axis 2 of thegate when the gate is in the closed position shown in FIG. 1 of thedrawings. The container 6 is supported on the frame 3 by a base 11located directly over the pivotal axis 2 and disposed radially withrespect to such axis and substantially at right angles to thelongitudinal axis of the frame 3. This second loading operation may becarried out while the gate is in fully opened position as is shown inFIG. 2 of the drawings, and if so, is continued while increasing thedownstream water level to the level designated N. The loading ofcontainer 6 is continued until the gate unit just moves to closedposition with the downstream water at the level N. This secondadjustment accomplished by the loading of ballast in container 6, willnot modify the balance of the gate when it moves to its primary closedposition since the container 6 will in this position of the gate belocated vertically above the gates pivotal axis 2.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 of the drawings, the balancingoperations are reversed from that described with respect to theembodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2. Thus, the first adjustment operation iscarried out by loading ballast 8 into the float sector 4 while the gateis in open position with the downstream water at level N as is shown inFIG. 3, and is continued until the gate tends to close and will be juston balance in its immediate open condition. The second adjustmentoperation involves loading container 6 when the gate is in closedposition for a higher downstream water level N in FIG. 4 and iscontinued until the gated unit just moves to open position whiledecreasing the downstream water level to the designated level N. It

described and illustrated in the drawings gate constructions which arebalanced in their extreme open and closed positions, with the container6 vertical to the pivotal means for the gate in one of the extreme openor closed positions, such balancing operations may be carried out in thesame manner with the gate in any two positions intermediate the twoextreme closed and opened positions thereof. In carrying out thebalancing operations for any two selected intermediate positions of thegate, the container 6 should be arranged on the frame so that in one ofsuch intermediate positions it will be located vertically above thepivotal means. Hence, I do not intend to limit myself to the particularembodiments disclosed for purposes of illustration, and intend to coverall constructions coming within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An automatic control gate for maintaining a constant downstream waterlevel comprising a frame, means on said frame for mounting said framefor pivotal movement about an axis located at the elevation at whichsuch water level is to be maintained, a sector-shaped gate apronradially disposed to said pivotal means mounted on the upstream end ofsaid frame, a sector float on said frame centered on said pivotal meansand extending downstream therefrom, and means for causing said gate tomove automatically to open and closed positions depending on thedownstream water level, including said sector float which is formed toprovide a container for ballast material balancing the gate in oneposition when the downstream water level is at the said elevation, and asecond ballast container mounted on said frame for movement about saidpivotal means, said second container being arranged on said frame to bealigned vertically above said pivotal means in said one position of thegate and to be offset from such location in the other position of thegate.

2. A control gate such as defined in claim 1, including means mounted onsaid frame for supporting said second container in spaced relationthereto, said supporting means being so disposed with respect to saidpivotal means that in the fully closed condition of said gate saidsecond container is located vertically above said pivotal means.

3. A control gate such as defined in claim 1, including means mounted onsaid frame for supporting said second container in spaced relationthereto, said supporting means being so disposed with respect to saidpivotal means that in the fully open condition of said gate said secondcontainer is located vertically above said pivotal means.

4. A control gate as defined in claim 1, including a container fixedwith relation to said sector float and adapted to be submerged in thewater downstream of said pivotal means, said fixed container having an uer 0 en end rec ivin said sector fl at and havin a c iitour substantialg fire y matching that 0 said float, lower end of said fixed containerhaving an opening bringing the interior thereof into communication withthe downstream water to enable the latter to produce a dampening actionon the oscillations of said sector float and gate apron.

1. An automatic control gate for maintaining a constant downstream waterlevel comprising a frame, means on said frame for mounting said framefor pivotal movement about an axis located at the elevation at whichsuch water level is to be maintained, a sector-shaped gate apronradially disposed to said pivotal means mounted on the upstream end ofsaid frame, a sector float on said frame centered on said pivotal meansand extending downstream therefrom, and means for causing said gate tomove automatically to open and closed positions depending on thedownstream water level, including said sector float which is formed toprovide a container for ballast material balancing the gate in oneposition when the downstream water level is at the said elevation, and asecond ballast container mounted on said frame for movement about saidpivotal means, said second container being arranged on said frame to bealigned vertically above said pivotal means in said one position of thegate and to be offset from such location in the other position of thegate.
 2. A control gate such as defined in claim 1, including meansmounted on said frame for supporting said second container in spacedrelation thereto, said supporting means being so disposed with respectto said pivotal means that in the fully closed condition of said gatesaid second container is located vertically above said pivotal means. 3.A control gate such as defined in claim 1, including means mounted onsaid frame for supporting said second container in spaced relationthereto, said supporting means being so disposed with respect to saidpivotal means that in the fully open condition of said gate said secondcontainer is located vertically above said pivotal means.
 4. A controlgate as defined in claim 1, including a container fixed with relation tosaid sector float and adapted to be submerged in the water downstream ofsaid pivotal means, said fixed container having an upper open endreceiving said sector float and having a contour substantially matchingthat of said float, the lower end of said fixed container having anopening bringing the interior thereof into communication with thedownstream water to enable the latter to produce a dampening action onthe oscillations of said sector float and gate apron.